Baylee Littrell wore his faith on his sleeve all the way to the top 20 on “American Idol,” and he said it was a lesson he learned from his parents.
Littrell, 22, is the son of Backstreet Boys singer Brian Littrell. He won the judges over with an original song in his audition (accompanied by his famous dad), and then his performances continued to impress in the later stages of the competition, before being voted off last week.
In the Hollywood round, he performed an original song called, “Hey Jesus” that he wrote following the death of his grandmother.
Littrell said he did not expect to receive the feedback he did from fellow believers in Christ.
“I feel like I got a really, really good response from it,” Littrell told Fox News Digital. “A lot, a lot of support that I truly did not expect to receive. Because in this day and age, representing faith is kind of taking a risk. I feel like the majority of the world doesn’t look to find it. So when I had that reception from fellow believers out there and people that are just now finding faith, I made that my strength for the rest of the show. So, it was great.”
His faith is something Baylee said blossomed at home.
“That’s the foundation of my faith is what my parents taught me growing up, what I would learn in school, growing up,” he said. “And it’s just, it’s always a big part of our lives. You know, it’s really the foundation of our life. And there is a big misconception with it. You know that you can’t live a full life or you can’t do certain things, due to religion.”
But that’s the wrong perspective, he shared.
“It’s really more like, to me, I look at being like a good Christian is one who does not judge, one who accepts everyone,” he added. “So, it played a big role and it was actually really freeing to have it on the show and be able to be that voice for people that have already known it for so long or that are just now finding it. So, it meant a great deal to me.”
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ JUDGE CARRIE UNDERWOOD ADMITS IT’S ‘DIFFICULT’ TO BRING FAITH INTO HOLLYWOOD
Judge Carrie Underwood, who also competed on and won season 4 of “American Idol” back in 2005, has been very open about her own Christian faith throughout her career. This season’s Easter episode featured the contestants singing spiritual songs, capped off with Underwood’s powerful performance of “How Great Thou Art.”
While Littrell said he never got to speak with Underwood directly about their walk with God, he said that growing up her voice had been a constant in their home.
“The faith songs that she’s recorded and put out there over the years have always been a pillar in my house,” he shared. “You know, my grandmother many years ago when she lost one of her best friends, I sang ‘How Great Thou Art’ at her funeral and that was her friend’s request. And so it was like, it’s a beautiful moment.”
“That’s what really brought me to Carrie’s faith-based music and stuff like that. I got to see her sing that during our Easter episode. And I was crying, I was bawling my eyes out just because it’s a beautiful moment. And I truly believe she’s been used as a vessel. And I think it’s so cool to see the beauty and the power of her voice and what she does with it and how she uses it.”
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ JUDGE PRAISES CONTESTANT FOR BOLDLY SHARING HER FAITH THROUGH MUSIC: ‘NEVER SCARED’
Littrell surprised fans on social media last week when he posted pictures of himself in the studio recording, “Hey Jesus.”
“So, that song, hopefully we’re going to get that out in the next couple of weeks while it’s still fresh in people’s minds,” he said. “But I went into the studio just with my acoustic guitar and recorded it and going back in the studio today to just refine some things with it. And we’ve got a lot more music coming, but definitely want to get ‘Hey Jesus,’ there first just so people have it.”
Asked to explain what genre of music he believes he’ll fit into, he said he wouldn’t want to stay in just one box.
“I would never pin myself as like strictly a Christian artist,” he said. “I could see it being more pop-related. I’ve taken a stab at country the last like six years and that one doesn’t feel like it’s really going to work out. I just feel like I’m going more into a direction of singer-songwriter.”
“But, too, I want to highlight any time I write a song that’s faith-related, I would love to get it out there,” he added. “You know, be a voice for people. I don’t think I would ever strictly be a Christian artist, but I would definitely love to, you know, any chance I get to do both and have that out there for the world.”